Top Swims of Trials 2012: Day 1

Top Swim – Dana Vollmer, 100 fly, 56.42 – The top swim from day 1, though there were a ton of spectacular candidates, has to go to Dana Vollmer’s American, U.S. Open, U.S. Olympic Trials, and National Championships Records in the women’s 100 fly.

She was one of the few non-Gator swimmers to earn big headlines on the first day of this meet as she ripped through half-a-second below the World Record pace; now all that she has to do on Tuesday is find her finishing few strokes.

Surprise Swim – Scott Weltz, 100 breast, 1:00.20 – When Scott Weltz finished his collegiate career in 2010, there was a driving force that told him to keep swimming. Something that kept urging him back to the pool after a few hiatuses from the sport. Call it fate, call it the gods of the pool, call it an itch. But whatever it was, we’re glad he did it. He now sits just .01 behind Mark Gangloff as the third-fastest American ever in textile in this 100 breaststroke.

Outside Smoke – Michael Klueh, 400 free, 3:48.17 – Michael Klueh didn’t make the team after finishing third in the men’s 400 free, but almost pulled off the big upset out of lane 1. He happened to be right in the heart of the action, with the winner Peter Vanderkaay and Charlie Houchin, who led a huge portion of this race on his right flank.

Outside fire – Andrew Gemmell, 400 IM, 4:16.07 – This award goes to Mr. Gemmell who, despite swimming in lane 1 that left him within 10 feet of a 15-foot high wall of flame shooting out of the side of the pool, and still finished 4th (which means the highest-placing finisher that nobody will remember behind Lochte, Phelps, and Clary). But we’ll remember him for braving a mid-race near-death experience and still putting up a great swim.

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RetiredOldLady
12 years ago

Scott has one of the best and most underappreciated coaches in the country. His swim is no surprise.

TX Swimmer
12 years ago

Dana should Start swimming to win and not to break the world record. The record will come. Her current strategy could spell disaster at the Games.

Inga
12 years ago

Lochte was in the middle of the pool, so he probably didn’t feel the heat.You can feel the heat in the stands at least 15 rows up.Those flames must be for the TV experience, because they just take away from the experience in the stands.It had to be a distraction to the swimmers.

junker23
Reply to  Inga
12 years ago

Perfect solution – CGI them thangs.

BMan
12 years ago

So…what’s this about the wall of flame? That sounds a little bit ridiculous…are they going to keep using that throughout the meet??

aswimfan
Reply to  BMan
12 years ago

And they turned the flames on DURING the race?!?!
It’s a big fail if you ask me.

beachmouse
Reply to  BMan
12 years ago

The pryo is supposed to only be used during the introductions, but there was a malfunction of the system and it went off unexpectedly at about 50 meters into the breast leg of the 400 IM. Lochte mentioned he noticed it during the race when he was making post race comments.

Always good to have a team that isn’t shaken by the unexpected.

aswimfan
12 years ago

What about Hansen’s swim?
That should deserve the come back swim of the night, if not the meet – yet, no?

liquidassets
12 years ago

Yeah totally agree about Weltz; he didn’t look familiar at all and I only vaguely remember his name. Where was his collegiate career?

BMan
Reply to  liquidassets
12 years ago

UC Davis. His collegiate career might have been cut short when they lost their team, but he’s a speed demon.

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Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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